A.  No.  No law requires parents and a nanny to have a written employment agreement, commonly known as a ‘nanny contract’.  For multiple reasons, however, we highly recommend it.   As noted, nanny care has many legal pitfalls.  Having a nanny contract is one of the first — and most important — steps to ensuring that those pitfalls are avoided.

A well-written nanny contract also serves as a good focus point for the nanny’s and parents’ initial discussions.  By reviewing a contract with a nanny, parents can be confident that all the important issues that arise with nanny care are covered.  Nannies, in turn, can be confident that their employer — the parents — care about their relationship with the nanny.  Lastly, a nanny contract is essential, in the event the parents are audited by the IRS or another governmental agency.

Our nanny contract addresses all these issues.  To learn more about it, click here.